Electrical apparatus



"J y 22, 1930- P. H. GEIGER ELECTRI QAL APPARATUS F1101! Oct. 7,; 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l l ENTOR. 7QZ-7Llfl2? Patented July 22, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL H. GEIGER, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA A Application filed October 7,,192e. Serial No. 140,025.

My invention relates to electrical apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type comprising a device having two windings and selectively responsive to the polarity of the current sppplied to one of such windings. Such a device may, for example, be a two winding relay or a direct current motor.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

I In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodyin my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing in rout elevation one form of electro-responsive device which is suitable for use in the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, and which device, as here shown, is an electrical relay. Fig. 3 is a side view, partly sec'-' tioned, of the relay shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 o is a bottom view of the relay shown in Figs. 2 and 3. I

Similar reference characters referto simi lar parts in each of the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 2, 3 and4, the relay inthe form here shown, comprises a top plate 2, carrying a neutral magnet'N Magnet N is made up as usual of a pair of cores 17 and 17, mounted in the top plate 2 and terminating in pole pieces 4 on the underside of this plate. The upper ends of the cores are connected by a back strap 3, and the cores are provided with an energizing winding comprising two coils 18 and 18". The neutral magnet N controls a neutral armature 5 carrying insulating studs 6 to which are attached contact fingers 7 co-operating with front contacts 8 and back contacts 9. v The relay also comprises a polar magnet P made up of a soft iron core 19 provided with a winding 20. The upper end of core 19 is in contact with the back strap 3, and the lower end of this core projects through the the top plate 2 and constitutes an upper bearing for a polar armature 10, the lower bearing of which is in a bracket 25 attached to the top plate 2. The polar armature 10 cooperates with the pole pieces 4 of the neutral magnet N in such manner that this armature swings in a horizontal plane toward one of the pole pieces or the other, according to the relative polarity of the currents in the neutral magnet N and the polar magnet P. The polar armature 10 carries insulating studs 11 which support a contact finger 12co-operating with fixed contact members '15 or '16, and the polar armature also carries other insulating studs 13 which support a contact finger 14 co-operating with fixed contact members 15 andlG.

Referring now to Fig; 1, the windings 18 and 18* of the neutral magnet N and the winding 20 of the polar magnet P are included in a circuit which is provided with a battery A and a pole-changer B. Assdciated with the neutral magnet N are four asymmetric units 21, 22, 23 and 24, and these units are connected in two multiple paths .for the magnet N in such manner that the direction of the current flow through the windings of magnet N is the same regardless of the position of the pole-changer B. For example, with the pole-changer B in the position shown in solid lines in the drawing, current flows from the upper terminal of the battery A through the upper arm of the polechanger B, winding 20 of polar magnet P, asymmetric unit 21, windings 18 and 18 of neutralmagnet N, asymmetric unit 23, and the lower arm of pole-changer B to the lower terminal of battery A. When pole-changer B is shifted to the position shown in dotted lines, current flows from the upper terminal of battery A, throughthe lower arm of polechanger B, "asymmetric unit 22, windings l8 and 18 of neutral magnet N, asymmetric unit 24, winding 20 of, polar magnet P, and the upper arm of pole-changer B, to the lower terminal of battery A. It will be seen,therefore, that when the pole-changer B is re-l versed, the direction of current'flow in winding 20 of the polar magnet P is reversed, but the direction of flow in the windings 18 and 18 of the neutral magnet N remains the same. To ex ress the matter in another way, the portion 0 the circuit which includes magnet N is provided with two multiple paths in the same direction through the windings 18 and 18 ,a-nd asymmetric units included in said multiple paths for permitting current of one p aritybut not the other to flow Fill in one path and for permitting current of the second polarity but not the first to flow 1n the other path. As here shown, the asymmetric units 21, 22, 23 and 24 constitute a full-wave rectifier interposed between the circuit and the neutral magnet N for causing current to flow in the same direction in such magnet regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to the circuit, but this particular structure is not essential to my invention.

Considering now all four views, it will be observed that the neutral armature 5 will be closed when the pole-changer B is in either extreme position, but will be open when the supply of current to the relay is discontinued for any reason, whereas the polarized armature will be swung in one direction or the other according as pole-changer B is in one position or the other, that is, according as the current flows in one direction or the other in winding of the polar magnet P.

The asymmetric units 22 and 23 constitute a path of low resistance around the windings 18 and 18 of the neutral magnet N, and the same thing is true of the asymmetric units 24 and 21, and so it follows that if these units are of low enough resistance the neutral armature 10 will not open during reversal of the polarity of the current supplied to the relay circuit. It is impossible to accomplish this result with a polarized direct current relay of the permanent magnet type because it is necessary to reverse the direction of current flow through the winding of the neutral magnet of such a relay with the result that upon the reversal of polarity the flux in the neutral magnet passes through zero and so the neutral armature releases. In apparatus embodying my invention the direction of current flow through the windings of the neutral magnet does not reverse upon reversal of polarity of the current supplied to the relay, and consequently, it is possible to prevent the neutral armature from opening during such reversal. If the asymmetric units do not provide sufficient retardation, the cores of the neutral magnet may be provided with copper sleeves in accordance with usual practice to obtain the desired increase in retardation.

Another advantage of apparatus embodying my invention, is that the relay will respond more quickly to reversals of the polarity of the current supplied thereto than will the ordinary and usual type of direct current polarized relay. Obviously my invention can be applied equally well to a direct current motor, thus providing for reverse operations of the motor with only two conductors.

Although I have herein shown and de scribed only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination, an elcctro-responsive device having two co-operating windings and a member responsive to the relative polarities of the currents in said windings, a circuit including said windings and a source of current and a pole-changer, and means including asymmetric units associated with that portion of said circuit which includes one winding for causing current to flow in the same direction through such one winding but not the other when said pole-changer is in either position.

2. In combination, an electro-responsive device having two co-operating windings and a member responsive to the relative polarities of the currents in said windings, a circuit for said windings, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, and means including asymmetric units associated with one winding for causing current to flow in the same direction in such winding regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said circult.

3. In combination, an electro-responsive device having two co-operating windings and a member responsive to the relative polarities of the currents in said windings, a circuit for said windings, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, said circuit having two multiple paths in the same direction through one of said windings, and asymmetric units included in said multiple paths for permitting current of one polarity but not the other to flow in one path and for permitting current of the second polarity but not the first to flow in the other path.

4. In combination, an electro-responsive device having two co-operating windings and a member responsive to the relative polarities of the currents in said windings, a circuit for said windings, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, and means including asymmetric units associated with one of said windings but not the other for causing current to flow in the same direction in said one winding regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit.

5. In combination, an electro-responsive device having two co-operating windings and a member responsive to the relative polarities of the currents in said windings, a circuit for said windings, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to 1 said circuit, and a full wave rectifier inter posed between said circuit and one of said windings for causing current to flow in the same direction in such winding regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit.

6. In combination, an electro-responsive device having two co-operating windings, and a member responsive to the relative polarities of the currents in said windings a circuit for said windings, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, and uni-directional current carrying means associated with that part of said circuit including one of said windings for causing current to flow in the same direction in such winding regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit.

7 In combination, a relay having a neutral magnet and a polarizing magnet, a circuit including the said magnets and a source of current and a pole-changer, and means including asymmetric units associated with that portion of said circuit which includes the neutral magnet for causing current to flow in the same direction through such magnet when said pole-changer is in either position.

8. In combination, a relay having a neutral magnet and apolarizing magnet, a circuit for said magnets, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, and means including asymmetric units associated with said neutral magnet for causing current to flow in the same direction in such magnet regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit.

9. In combination, a relay having a neutral magnet and a polarizing magnet, a circuit for said magnets, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, said circuit having two multiple paths in the same direction through said neutral magnet, and asymmetric units included in said multiple aths for permitting current of one polarity ut not the other to flow in one path and for permitting current of the second polarity but not the first to flow in the other path.

10. In combination, a relay having a neutral magnet and a polarizing magnet, a circuit for said magnets, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, and means including asymmetric units associated with one of said magnets but not the other for causing current to flow in the same direction in said one magnet regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit.

11. In combination, a relay having a neutral magnet and a polarizing magnet, a circuit for said magnets, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, and a full wave rectifier interposed between said circuit and one of said magnets for causing current to flow in the same direction in such magnet regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit.

12. In combination, a relay having a neutral magnet and a polarizing magnet, a circuit for said magnets, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, and uni-directional current carrying means associated with that part of said circuit including one of'said magnets for causing current to flow in the same direction in such magnet regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said circuit.

13. In combination, an electro-responsive device having a neutral magnet and a polarizing magnet and a member controlled jointly by said magnets, a circuit for said magnets, means for supplying current of one polarity or the other to said circuit, and means including asymmetric units associated with one of said magnets but not the other for causing current to flow in the same direction in said one magnet,regardless of the polarity of the current supplied to said cir cuit.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

PAUL H. GEIGER. 

